Improvement in means of raising sunken vessels



H. F. KNAPP.

ing Sunkbn VesseIS.

Means of Ra Patented Dec. 10,1872.

AMPHOTO-LITHUEHAPH/G CQMKMSEORNE S PHUOESSJ UNITED STATES PATENT HENRY F. KNAPP, oF' Ew YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS OF RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,863, dated December 10,1872.

1'0 all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. KNAPP, o the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Process of Raising Sunken Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had-to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, and in which- Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent various stages in the operation of raising a sunken vessel according to my improved process; and Fig. 4,

a view of a torpedo device or contrivanc'e that sand or mud in which the wreck lies, in order that the pipe, by suitable manipulation, may be made to cut its way beneath the wreck andto the opposite side of the keel thereof, after which a carrier float or ball of less specific gravity thanthe water, and having a light cord attached to it, is washed or forced by the pump through the pipe, and, ascending on the opposite side of the wreck to that down which the pipe was projected, affords a ready means for drawing a stouter cord, and so on for any number of increasin gly-stronger cords or ropes in succession, until a chain of suitable strength may be hauled by the last cord or rope beneath and around the sunken vessel to obtain a lift from opposite sides of it, the pipe being removed before passing the chain. Any number of chains may thus be passed to hug the hull at diflerent points in the length of it and any desired lifting force applied to their ends to raise the vessel. In case of the carrier-float having the, primary cord attached to it not being able to rise after its projection from the pipe byreason of mud or sand overlying it, then a rod or wire having a torpedo attached is passed down the pipe and exploded beyond the lower end of the latter to clear or form a passage for the carrier-float with its attached cor 1 A is the pipe, which may be of any desired shape and which is manipulated or steered from a floating raft or vessel, B, till it is projected into the sand or mud close up alongside of the wreck O. Said pipe is connected by a hose, D, at its upper end with any suitable pump, E, on board the vessel'B, for the purpose of passing a stream of water down through the pipe,in order that the mouth or lower end of the latter may, by the manipulation of the pipe, easily cut its way through the sand and mud, both of which are driven out of the pipe A, and the latter in due course caused to reach under the keel of the wreck, as represented in Fig. 2, which position may be determined by the bubblingof the water on the opposite side of the wreck, or with greater certainty by forcing a little oil with the water down through the pipe, or by entirely stopping the supply of water to or through the pipe, and substituting therefor a strong blast of air, which will readily rise through the mud and sand. The pump on board the vessel B is then stopped and the hose D taken off, and a small carrierfloat or light ball, I), having attached to it a long piece of twine, 0, introduced freely within the pipe from above, the ball b making a close but easy fit with the pipe, and the outer end of the twine being passed through a small side opening in the pipe, or, preferably, in the detached rubber hose D. The hose D is then reconnected with the pipe A and a full blast of air or flow of water put on. This causes the ball I) to be driven through the pipe A and out of its lower end or mouth into the sand or mud, and in due course, by the continued operation of the pump, working the ball, which may be of cork or other material of less specific gravity than, water, up through the sand or mud on the opposite side of the wreck, till it floats on the top of the water, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In case the ball b is prevented by the mud and sand from rising after leaving the pipe A by the force of the blast or fiow of water down through the pipe, its upward passage through the mud or sand may be efl'ected or'facilitated by introducing down the pipeA a small percussion or fuse torpedo, d, by means of a rod or wire, 6, till it passes out of the lower end of I E QL the pipeAwithin the sand or mud, when said torpedo is exploded, and the ball b, with the one portion of its twine 0, caused to rise to the surface of the water, to be subsequently hauled upon. The twine 0, being thus arranged on both sides of the wreck as well as beneath it, and with both ends accessible from above the water, a stouter piece of cord is next attached to the one end of the twine c and drawn through the pipe A and up round the wreck, by pulling on the ball 11 and twine, and so on in succession, if necessary, for any number of cords of increasing thickness till a cord or rope of sufficient strength is passed down beneath and up around the wreck, to form a means for similarly drawing a heavy chain cable of the de-' sired strength to raise the wreck, the pipe A in the mean time having been removed, leaving the cord or rope, and subsequently the chain, in suitable position under the keel. These operations are repeated at dilferent points or distances throughout the length of the wreck until a sufficient number of chain cables are placed under the latter to raise it, which cables may be attached to timbers and floats on the surface of the water to lift the wreck.

What is here claimed, and desired to be seecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The means, substantially as herein described, of passing cables under sunken vessels, consisting of a tube, A, and flexible pipe D, the force-pump 'E, and float b, with its attached cord 0, for operation, substantially as specified.

2. The torpedo d, having an attached rod or wire, 6, in combination with the pipeA and float b with its attached cord 0, essentially as described. HENRY F. KNAPP.

Witnesses MICHAEL RYAN, FRED. HAYNES. 

